Thursday, May 2, 2013

The Uncommon Reader (read by author; 2 hrs, 27 mins) by Alan Bennett presents a fictional Queen of England who has recently discovered the joy of reading. Having always been a "doer" with a tremendous sense of duty, Her Majesty viewed reading as passive, much like spectating, and therefore did very little of it. When her Corgis get into a mobile library that has pulled up to the Palace grounds, the Queen selects a book out of courtesy. She soon finds herself transported by reading and shirking her duties to just sit and read.

Her staff are initially perplexed and then troubled by her reading. Their concerns range from the impact of the reading on the Queen's ability to maintain her schedule to the fact that her need to share what she is reading exposes the fact that she has preferences. The Monarch should take an interest but not be interested in a particular topic; in this way none of her subjects feel excluded. Her equerries and even the Prime Minister are worried about the Queen's state of mind when she asks if she should read from a book as part of her Christmas message. They begin to intervene in unusual ways to get between the Queen and her books. As dedicated readers know, however, that is difficult to do.

My ThoughtsWhen I reviewed Mrs. Queen Takes the Train last year , many people commented on that post recommending The Uncommon Reader. The premises are similar - a fictional Queen takes on an everyday activity and reveals a little of her own frailty and vulnerability in the process. When the Queen first started visiting the mobile library, she was not unlike any reluctant reader - skeptical about reading with relatively narrow tastes. Norman, who also visits the mobile library, runs through a number of potential book recommendations before he lands on one that will sufficiently interest the Queen and not squelch her budding taste for reading. She quickly becomes absorbed in the joys of reading and is soon making recommendations herself to anyone that would listen. There is a tragic element to the story as the Queen is portrayed as largely alone and often on the outside of things looking in.

This audiobook was such a pleasure - how can you not love a book which is essentially an ode to reading and the love of all things literary? The book is read by the author and each line is delivered with theatrical precision - I especially enjoyed the witty lines and laughed out loud (while walking down the street) many times. This whimsical tale which also offers keen observations about the joy and value of reading is a must listen (or must read!) and would make a great gift for any reader.

When I first started reading your post, I was skeptical, but by the end I was convinced that this would be a fun book to read. An ode to books will, in itself, be satisfying and I like the idea of getting to know a character by the books she gravitates to over time.